Blog Tour: Melt by Natalie Anderson (International Giveaway!)

Entangled Publishing is presenting this blog tour.

You can find out more by clicking HERE.
You can read my review by clicking HERE.

Welcome to The Wormhole and my day on the tour!

Today's features: 

Melt by Natalie Anderson and an international ebook giveaway (enter by filling out form at end of post).

Melt by USA Today bestselling author, Natalie Anderson
An Entangled Publishing Ever After, available as an eBook for $2.99
http://www.entangledpublishing.com/melt/
http://www.natalie-anderson.com/

It is my pleasure to bring you an interview with 

Natalie Anderson!

? When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

I was writing stories right from when I learned to hold a pencil. I think I wanted to write from the time I realised there were such things as books! I always had a big imaginary world going on – to be able to get those stories and dreams down onto paper in some form… and then make a career from that? Yeah, I wanted to do that as soon as I knew people could. But then it was a matter of self-belief and giving myself the time. I went through a phase in my late teens and twenties when I didn’t write much fiction. That finally happened when I had young children and was up all night – my imagination came in VERY useful when I had a son who NEVER slept. I was so much better for me to spend that time inventing plots in my head rather than wishing I was asleep.

? How many jobs did you have before you became a writer?

I did a Masters in Library & Information Studies after my BA (I always wanted to work with books, even if I didn’t think I could write them at that stage!) – and worked in corporate libraries, banks and legal libraries for a few years – temping in London and Scotland before coming home to New Zealand and having the children – and went straight into writing in the middle of having those kids. I was extremely fortunate to sell my first submission.

? How long does it take you to write a book?

It varies – for my category romances for Harlequin Mills & Boon it’s anything from two to five months. Shorter stories take a little less – although not always!

? What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?

I asked my husband – he reckons it’s my lying in bed and writing in my PJs all day. But that’s not a quirk. That’s normal. Right?

? Where do you get your ideas or inspiration for your characters?

Inspiration is all around – I talk to people, watch people, am a total newshound and read papers and magazines cover to cover. Then it all seems to coalesce inside and come out in a story idea (or three).

? How do you decide what you want to write about?

Characters and scenes seem to just pop into my head and give me a taste of their journey – the fun part is then trying to figure out the rest of their stories. Generally I don’t sit there and think ‘I’ll write a reunion story’ – it all seems to come when I start investigating those characters. But I guess I do have an overarching theme – romance of course, with some fun and flirt and very contemporary settings. That’s the atmosphere I enjoy building J

? What books have most influenced your life?

Every single Georgette Heyer – I loved her books as a teen and think she really got me into romance – as did all my grandmother’s Mills & Boons. Plus Agatha Christie. I did a BA in English and studied all these supposed ‘greats’ but honestly, it’s the genre fiction writers who really influenced me the most and THEY are great!!!

? What are you reading right now?

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick – I was madly trying to finish it before taking my eldest to the movie but didn’t quite get there – now I’m doing a compare and contrast with the film J

? What do you like to do when you are not writing?

I’ve got four young children (twins aged 5, a 7 year old and a 9 year old) and a wonderful, project-driven husband. When I’m not writing, I’m with them. It’s a madhouse, but it’s a marvelous one.

? What is your favorite comfort food?

Probably pizza – I make the dough in my bread-maker and then add a special sauce (I confess it’s a bought one) and then sliced fresh veggies topped with a layer of shredded spinach. I’m vegan so it’s a cheese free version – but it’s so good, I have one and immediately want another!

? What do you think makes a good story?

Great characters – who have great spark and dialogue and interaction with each other and who do believable, well-motivated but surprising things! And I really need a great resolution – I love satisfying, happy endings!!!

Fun random questions: 

• dogs or cats?

Oh so hard. Push to shove? I *think * I have to say dogs. I like birds so cats lose a point in that regard.

• Coffee or tea?

I don’t drink either of the usual variety – I’ve recently discovered peppermint tea which is fab. I confess I get caffeine from those awful energy sodas that rot your insides.

• Dark or milk chocolate?

Dark, peppermint filled. Bliss.

• Rocks or flowers?

Flowers – for the beauty and the scent – so cliché of me! But they ARE beautiful.

• Night or day?

Tied equal!

• Favorite color?

Red. Though I’m big on green spaces – we just painted my son’s bedroom Kermit the Frog green – it looks amazing!

• Crayons or markers?

Maybe crayons have the edge cos the permanent markers don’t smell so good.

• Pens or pencils?

Pens, only because of the sharpening thing. I’m  lazy that way.

More About Natalie Anderson:

USA TODAY bestseller Natalie Anderson writes fun, frisky, feels-good contemporary romance for Harlequin and Entangled. With twenty books published, she’s also been a Romantic Times Award nominee & a finalist for the R*BY (Romantic Book of the Year).

She lives in Christchurch, New Zealand with her husband, four children and what feels like a million ducks.

Find out more at her website www.natalie-anderson.com

On Twitter @authornataliea

On Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/authornataliea
International Giveaway: prize is an ecopy of Melt by Natalie Anderson.  Giveaway ends 1/23/12.  Rules: Must be 18+ and fill out this form.  

Review: Melt by Natalie Anderson

Melt by Natalie Anderson

Amazon Product Description:
When two frozen hearts collide…

Emma Reed closed her heart to love years ago after a lifetime spent getting kicked around foster homes and bad relationships. Now she’s on a mission to prove she deserves her recent award to paint a mural for a research base in Antarctica. Nothing and no one is going to get in her way.

After months working in recovery zones around the world, Hunter Wilson planned to escape everything this holiday season by rebuilding a lab at the Kiwi Research Base. Alone. No to family, no to fun. It’s isolation not intimacy he’s aching for. But when he sees the determined artist, that ache becomes an urge – after all, shouldn’t someone show her what two people can do with twenty-four hours of brilliant sunlight?

In the coldest place on earth, even the most frozen hearts can melt.


My thoughts:
     This was my first Natalie Anderson read and I loved it!  Hunter and Emma are wonderfully created characters.  They interact from the start with fun, flirty personalities.  
     An entertaining, fun, fast read.  I enjoyed the characters, the setting, and the story.  The ending was exactly what I was hoping for.  I only wish it had been longer.  I look forward to reading many more stories by Natalie Anderson!
     

About the Author (also from Amazon):
USA TODAY bestselling author Natalie Anderson writes fun, frisky, feels-good contemporary romance for Harlequin Mills & Boon and Entangled Publishing.

With twenty books published, she's hit several bestseller lists, been a Romantic Times award nominee, and a finalist for the R*BY (Romantic Book of the Year).

She lives in Christchurch, New Zealand with her husband, four children and what feels like a million ducks.

Find out more about her books at her website: natalie-anderson.com

Review: Taken by L.M. Pruitt

Taken by L.M. Pruitt

Blurb from Goodreads:
Cheating spouse? Stolen jewelry? Missing person? 

Call Frances--Frankie--Post. A private detective with a trick of two up her sleeve and a few skeletons of her own. 

What starts out as a simple missing person's case dumps Frankie and her lover Jack right in the crosshairs of a dangerous human trafficking organization. With lives on the line, bad blood and old wounds finally see the light of day. And Frankie and Jack are forced to realize: The past always catches up with you. 
My thoughts:
     Once again L.M. Pruitt has created characters that are amazing.  Frankie is fantastic!  She is smart, tough, stubborn, and loyal to the few she counts as friends.  She is my favorite character in the story.  
     The story itself is wonderfully entertaining, nicely paced and well written.  The plot is intriguing and suspenseful.   
     I truly enjoyed the book.   The ending SCREAMS for a sequel....
     

Winners, Winners, and more Winners!

I have a bunch of winners that I have not posted...so...

Carol T from South Africa won an ecopy of The Next Thing I Knew by John Corwin

 bn100 from the USA won an ecopy of The Last Awakening by Rachel Firasek 

Happy New Year Giveaway Hop Winner was Sofija from Estonia (Magic Bites)

xlacrimax from Lithuania won an e-copy of Blood Rites by Quinn Loftis

Diana from Greece won an e-copy of Hellsbane by Paige Cuccaro

The winner of the Mid-Winter's Eve Hop was Katelyn H from Australia (Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers)

Thanks to all who entered ~ Congrats to all who won

Happy Reading!!!

Blog Tour: Taken by L.M. Pruitt (International Giveaway!)

This blog tour is presented by The Bookish Snob Tours.

You can see the entire tour schedule by clicking HERE.

You can see my review by clicking HERE.

Welcome to The Wormhole and my day on the tour!

The next blog stop: January 15 – Getting Naughty Between The Stacks  

It is my pleasure to bring you L.M. Pruitt!

L.M. Pruitt has been reading and writing for as long as she can remember. A native of Florida with a love of New Orleans, she has the uncanny ability to find humor in most things and would probably kill a plastic plant. She is the author of the Jude Magdalyn Series as well as New Moon Rising, featuring Cari Gravier, and Taken, featuring Frankie Post. She is currently at work on the next book in the Moon Rising series, Harvest Moon Rising, due out April 2012. Ms. Pruitt makes her home in Florida with two cats--one smart, the other not so much.

Amazon Product Description:

Cheating spouse? Stolen jewelry? Missing person?

Call Frances--Frankie--Post. A private detective with a trick or two up her sleeve and a few skeletons of her own.

What starts out as a simple missing person's case dumps Frankie and her lover Jack right in the crosshairs of a dangerous human trafficking organization. With lives on the line, bad blood and old wounds finally see the light of day. And Frankie and Jack are forced to realize: The past always catches up with you.

Always.

*** You can buy this story by clicking HERE, HERE, or HERE.

*** You can enter to WIN this story by filling out the form below.

And now...to feed your need to read...a little something from the author:

Every good crime fiction/noir piece has some twisty turny plot points. Obviously, I can't give everything away (although I really want to--trust me, I do), but sometimes the inspiration to turn down the right path comes from the most unexpected sources. In Frankie's case, well...read on.

“I don’t care how bored you are; you want the money, you stay on her tail.” The whining increased and grew in volume until I wanted to pound my head against a wall. “Casey Lynn, darlin’, you do this or you don’t get paid, simple as that. Now, you looking to forfeit a nice little chunk of change?”
The line went dead and I rolled my eyes. Johnny grunted but didn’t look up from his screen. “Your latest soldier not falling into line?”
“She has the attention span of a five year old cracked out on Halloween candy.” I tossed the phone on the bed, pacing to the bathroom and back. “Good thing she’s not waiting on you. There’s a good possibility one of you would kill the other.”
“I’ve never hit a woman.” The clacking slowed and he chuckled. “Unless she asked for it.”
I stopped in mid-pace, staring. “I’m pretty sure you’re joking. Or trying to be perverted. Either way, it’s so shocking I’m more than a little boggled.”
“The same thing happens to Maria. People tend to forget I’m more than computers and bad habits.” The compact printer started whirring, the sound out of place in the smoke-drenched room. “Here, get started on these.”
“As if I have a clue where to start.” My muttering wasn’t simple complaining. All we had right now were names, feelings and a niggling suspicion. In other words, nothing.
“So, talk it out. Maria likes to do that about… everything.” Johnny paused, swiveling to the printer. Gathering up the stack of papers, he tapped them together, straightening them before handing the bundle over. “First, tell me why we’re going through all her e-mails.”
“Because I’m curious.” Even to my own ears I sounded testy, snotty.
“Well, why are you curious?” He turned back to the computer to resume his typing. “I know you, Frankie. Not a lot of things arouse your curiosity. So, what did?”
“A name. I’m looking for a name.” Sighing, I started reading the first e-mail. Within two paragraphs, I was as bored and antsy as Casey Lynn had whined about being. “For some reason, Audrey Clark is really annoyed with someone named Dylan.”
“People tend to be annoyed with other people for any number of reasons.” The printer continued whirring, its tidy stack increasing in size. “I’m going to assume you got this name in your usual way—meaning you’re not going to tell me how you got it. So we’re going to put it aside for now.” He sneezed once and wiped the screen with his sleeve. “Why are you so curious about Audrey Clark, specifically? Normally, when a case is over, you do your paperwork, file things away, and pick up another case.”
“Everything about this has been off, almost from the beginning.” Frustrated, I flipped the page over, scanning now more than reading. Art, antiques, fabric and paint samples. Just reading made me feel gauche. “Jack and I both getting involved as pure coincidence?”
“Well, you said this Ian guy works for the DA. No doubt he pulled the strings to get a top detective on his cousin’s case. And then when things looked like they were going nowhere, he asks around. Finds out about some hotshot private investigator.”
“I wouldn’t call myself a hotshot.” I smiled, flipping another page. “Good, yes. Hotshot, no.”
“And modest, to boot. So, for now we’ll go with it being coincidence. Because I’m going to guess, while there are plenty of people who know about you and Jack, it’s more along the lines of rumor or thinking you hook up occasionally.”
“Fine, we’ll chalk things up to coincidence.” Another page. More work talk. Whoever A. Bragefrede was, he did a lot of business with Audrey’s firm, and Audrey specifically. “Then there are the roommates.”
“One now dead, the other chained to a hospital bed.”
“Both as different from Audrey Clark as you can get. I mean, they’re all artsy, yeah, but we have two performing artists and one… well, I guess you could say graphic artist, although she’s still pretty hands on.” Huffing out a breath, I set the e-mails aside and started cracking my knuckles. I winced when my thumb stuck, refusing to pop for a moment before giving way. “She’s successful, they’re not. She’s making money and a name, they’re not.”
“Bound to cause some resentment, especially with all those nasty female hormones floating around in one space.” Johnny turned, scooped up the stack from the printer and handed them to me. “So, who resents who?”
“What?” If the printer ever stopped, I’d consider the event a miracle.
“Well, look at this from both ways. They’re probably jealous of her, with her money and success and whatnot. But what about her? She’s probably annoyed, more than a little embarrassed.”
“None of which explains Shelly’s scared as hell reaction or Samantha’s pointed comments about how Audrey might want to disappear. I’ve got one girl acting like she had a hand in things and the other pointing the finger at the missing girl.” With my knuckles popped, I moved on to my toes. The cracking sound filled the room, competing with Johnny’s clacking. “The first, I can understand, because people are assholes. The second, not so much.”
“Well, forget about motive for now. What’s the other thing cop shows are always talking about?” Johnny paused, snorting as he shook his head. “Opportunity. If you go with the idea that the two girls were the ones to pay to have their friend kidnapped and sold like a piece of meat, you have to wonder where they ran across someone who could help them with the plan.”
“Samantha Abernathy worked in a hole-in-the-sewer strip club. I’m pretty sure she’d have run across someone who knew about sex slaves.”
“Yeah, but you also said she started there about three months ago, two months before Audrey was abducted. That’s a short amount of time to put something of this magnitude together, especially if you don’t have the right connections.”
“So, rule her out. Or at least put her toward the end of the line. And I’ll eat my shoe if Shelly has the connections or the brains this would require.”
“Which brings us to Audrey, who has both the brains and the connections, along with the motivation.” Johnny swiveled away from the monitor, kicking his feet up on the bed. “And the money.”
“Any of the girls could have used the money, as evidenced by the fact the payment to the Organization was authorized with Shelly’s number.” Everything Johnny said made sense. And yet the very idea made no sense at all. “But I guess if Audrey is smart enough to fake her own abduction, a little thing like her roommate’s banking passcode would be small potatoes.”
“I know Holmesian Philosophy gets tossed around a lot, but there’s some truth to it. If you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.” Johnny stretched his arms high over his head. “We’re saying there’s no possible way for either Shelly or Samantha to have masterminded and financed this operation, even with both of them working together. What remains?”
“When you take in the money transfer, the random comments, and the general gut feeling, what remains is Audrey Clark orchestrating her own abduction.” I waited a beat before shaking my head. “But that’s just as impossible an idea as the other two doing it. Why would anyone willingly go into sex slavery?”
“Maybe she planned on being rescued.” He shrugged, snorting at my dropped jaw. “You said she’s anal about organization. Someone like that would be the kind to make sure she had an escape lined up.”
“I swear, this case is going to drive me to drink.” Fisting my hands in my hair, I tugged hard in an effort to clear my head. “We just agreed neither of the other girls had anything to do with this shitstorm.”
“True. But who said Audrey’s conspirator had to be one of her roommates?”
I stared at Johnny. “Who else? Everybody, even Audrey herself, has said she pretty much works and goes home. If she goes out, she goes with her roommates or on some work related gig.”
“Well, based on the extensive amount of time I’ve spent with her inbox, I can tell you there are only five people making up the bulk of the material. Being a curious person myself, I hacked into the employee database at Messer and Briggs. Four of the five work with her, two of them supervisors of some sort.”
“And the fifth?”
“The fifth would be our mysterious A. Bragfrede. Continuing to satisfy my curiosity, I ran him through Google. Turns out he’s an art dealer here in Manhattan.” Johnny turned, reached behind to the desk and grabbed a piece of paper. “He specializes in paintings, but does the occasional side step into statuary.”
An image of Audrey’s desk, ruthless in organization and decorated with unicorns and fairies, popped into my mind. “I think a little talk with Bragfrede might be in order.”
“Might be a good idea.” Johnny handed me the paper and I folded it, shoving it in my purse. I paused, my hand on the door knob when he spoke again. “Frankie. One more thing.”
“Yeah?”
“Be careful.”

Another opportunity to win!

Thanks for stopping by The Wormhole!

Happy Reading!

Blog Tour: Bound by Kira Saito

This virtual book tour is presented by Bewitching Book Tours.

Welcome to The Wormhole and my promo post!

It is my pleasure to present Kira Saito and her book Bound!

Kira is a magic junkie and loves writing YA paranormal romances. Some of her heroes include: Jack the Pumpkin King, Willy Wonka, Larry David, Princess Jasmine, the vampire Lestat, Andy and her Maltese Costanza.

Amazon Product Description:

Sixteen year old Arelia LaRue lives in New Orleans where the music is loud, voodoo queens inhabit every street corner, and the ghosts are alive and well. Despite her surroundings, all she wants is to help her Grand-mere Bea pay the rent and save up for college. 

When her best friend Sabrina convinces her to take a well-paying summer job at the infamous Darkwood plantation, owned by the wealthy LaPlante family, Arelia agrees. 

However, at Darkwood strange things start to happen, and gorgeous Lucus LaPlante insists that he needs her help. Soon, the powers that Arelia has been denying all her life, come out to play and she discovers mysteries about herself that she could have never imagined. 

You can buy a copy by clicking HERE.